Refrigerator



Jan 11 1927 H. l.. ROBERTS REFRIGERATOR Filed June 28, 1926 patentedJan. 11, 1927.

UNITED STATES HENBYLUCAS ROBERTS, OF GBIHBBY, ONTARIO, CANADA.

REFRIGERATEUR.

Application led .Tune 28, 1826. Serial No. 119,154.

My invention relates to improvements in refrigerators and the ob]ect isto provide a novel form of refrigerator which will be exceptionallyeconomical and eicient in operation and in which a very dry atmospherew1ll be maintained.

A further object is to eliminate to a great extent the loss due towarming of the refrigerator ordinarily caused during the opening andclosing of the refrigerator to get at -articles placed therein. Afurther object is to improve the cleanllness and convenience ofoperation by having the ice entirely enclosed in a removable watertightcontainer, which may be entirely removed from the refrigerator forfilling and emptying, thus keeping the refrigerator clear from all dirtor foreign matter on the ice.

Other objects will appear 'in the course of the following specification.

My invention consists in the construction and arrangement of parts, allas hereinafter more particularly described and illustrated in theaccompanying drawings in which:-.-

Fig. 1 shows, in diagrammatic form, a central vertical section through arefrigera-l tor embodying my improved construction.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of an improved ice container used in myinvention.

In the drawings, like .characters o'frefercnceyindicate correspondingparts in the two opening or port 4.and above this port is n,

baliie.

At the top of thechamber 3 the casing 1 is provided with an inlet port 6and an outlet port 7. Covering the port 6' is anordinary Hap valve 8which operates as an inlet valve and covering the port 7 is a similarloutlet valve 9.

The chamber 3 constitutes a compensating chamber as will be laterexplained.

Immediately below the partition. 2, the front wall of the casing 1 isprovided with a circular oriicelO to permit insertion of a watertightlice container 11.

This container comprises. a cylindrical pail-like portion 12 and a lid13 which has threaded engagement in the open end of the portion 12 andforms a closure therefor.

This lid 13 is of novel construction and in'. the form illustratedcomprises a threaded cap portion 14 which has threaded engagement in theend of the portion 12.

This cap 14 has an enclosed central air chamber 15 which acts as aninsulator.

Secured to the portion 14 is an outer cap 05 16, the interior of whichis filled with heat insulating material 17 and between the portions 16and 17 is a wooden disk 18.

The portion 16 is formed with an undercut shoulder 32 so that when thecontainer is 70 inserted` into position within the refrigerator theportion 16 forms a closure for the opening 10 in the casing, theshoulder 32 abuttingagainst a rubber annulus 19.

Extending across the refrigerator are horizontal strips 20 which formsupports upon which the container 11 rests.

Secured to these supports immediately below the container 11 is anabsorbent sti-1p 21 which extends outwardly through the rear wall of thecasing as indicated at B.

This absorbent strip 21 constitutes a wick positioned centrally belowthe' container and adapted to receive all drip from the exterior surfacethereof.

This wick is not the full width of the refrigerator but is com arativelynarrow so that ample space is le t at each side thereof to permit freeair circulation therepast as will presently be explained.

The lower portion of the refrigerator below the container 11 is occupiedby a number of drawers 22-23--24 and 25, which drawers may be the fullwidth of the refrigerator and extend inwardly from the front thereof.

The drawers are superimposed one abo-ve the other and each drawer is ofsomewhat shorter length than the drawer next below so that when pushedfull in there isan un- 100 c overed space indicate at A at the rear 'endof each drawer4 which spaces provide The cover 13 is then removed, anywater in\ the container being emptied and the container is filled withice after which'the cover 13 is replaced.

He then replaces the container in the refrigerator and, when pushedfully in, the lid '13 forms a secure closure for the opening 10 'in therefrigerator.

It is to be understood that the lid 13 forms a watertight closure forthe container so that the ice and all water formed from the meltingthereof remains within the container.

vThe air in the refrigerator is cooled and falls entering and fillingthe drawers throughthe openings A at the rear ends thereof. v

As previously stated the wick 21 is comparatively narrow so that ampleclearance is provided at each side thereof to permit free circulation ofair therepast and therefore the wick does not prevent the circulation ofair from the upper (part to the lower part of the refrigerator an viceversa.

By my construction, whereby theai'r does not contact directly withtheice, considerably greater economyis obtained and also a very dryatmosphere is maintained in the refrigerator. Y

Any moisture in the refrigerator which will condense on the exteriorsurface of the container will drip onto the absorbent strip 21, whichstrip will act as a wick and conduct this moisture outwardly through thecasing to be evaporated from the portion B which projects into the outerair.

In this way moisture is removed from the interior of the refrigerator'so as to insure Va very dry atmosphere therein which of course is verydesirable.

When any one of the drawers is drawn out, air from the compensatingchamber 3 will be drawn downwardly'through the opening 4 in thepartition 2 to compensate from the displacement of the withdrawn drawerand air will be drawn inwardly into the chamber 3 past the valve 8 butnone of this warm' air from the outer atmosphere will pass through theopening 4 and will thus affect no warming ofthe portion of therefrigerator below the partition 2.

Also the opening of the drawer will not permit any inrush of warm airinto therefrigerator sincethe opening in the refrigerator casing is atall times completely closed by the drawer. In this connection it is tobe noted that the top edges of the drawers are a snug sliding fitagainst the partitions 26.

Also since the drawersremain at all times horizontal, when a drawer ispartiall withdrawn, there will be no spilling oft e cold air out of thedrawer so that when it is again pushed inwardly the same cold airremains in it as was therev before it was opened.

When the drawer is again closed, air is \driven upwardly through theopening 4 and .air from the compensating chamber 3 passes outwardly pastthe outlet valve 9.

The compensating chamber 3 has a cubic capacity n ot less than that ofthe largest drawer so that no cold air is wasted in closing thedrawer'nor is any warm air from the outer atmosphere drawn past theopening 4 in the partition2 during the opening of the drawer.

The baffle 5 is provided immediately above Avdownwardly in the directionof the arrows so that this air does not pass directly to the outletvalve 9. Also additional baflles'l lare placed in front of the ports 6and 7 so that the air passing inwardly or outwardly 'through these portsmust come from the extreme upper portion of the chamber 3.

Itwill thus be noted that in my refrigerator the refrigeratingcompartment is practically always closed even when the drawers aredrawn'out so that there is not free communication 'between the interiorof therefrigerator and the outer air as is the case with the ordinaryrefrigerator having doorsA and this results in -a very economy 1n theuse of ice.

greatly increased The partitions 26. are so .positioned that the tops ofthe drawers' are a very snug sliding` fit thereagainst, this beingnecessary to maintain the economy referred to above.

A feature of my invention is that, by having the ice enclosed entirelyin a watertight container, the refrigerator may be maintained in a muchcleaner condition so that no dirt or foreign matter 'on the ice has tobe contended with.

lill

A further convenience is that the operanei-mit the escape of anycold'air or the inrush of any warm air.

While I have illustrated and described the use of one container 11 only,any desired number could be used in which case they might be placedhorizontally side by side and a wick 2l would be placed below eachcontainer.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that I have devised a novel typeof refrigerator whereby the objects of'myinvention have been attained.

Various modifications may be made in my invention without departing fromthe spirit thereof or the scope of the claims and therefore the exactforms shown are to be taken as illustrative only and not in a limitingsense and I desire that only such limitations shall be placed thereon asare imposed by the prior art or are specifically set forth in theappended claims.

What I claim `as my invention is:

1. In a refrigerator, an enclosed watertight ice container, and a wickbelow said container extending outwardly through the refrigerator casing'and positioned to receive all drip from the exterior surface of thecontainer.

2. In a, refrigerator, an enclosed watertightvce container supported inthe upper portion thereof, a wick below said container positioned toreceive all drip from the exterior surface thereof, said wick extendingoutwardly through the refrigerator casing, and a plurality of drawers inthe lower portion of the refrigerator.

3. 'In a refrigerator, an enclosed watertight ice container supported inspaced relation from the top thereof, a plurality of drawers below saidcontainer, the portion of the refrigerator above said container formingan air chamber, and an inlet and4 an o`utlet valve communicating betweensaid chamber and the outer air.

4. In a refrigerator, an enclosed watertight ice container supported inspaced relation from the top thereof, a plurality of drawers below saidcontainer, the portion of the refrigerator above said container forminga chamber, the cubic capacity of which is not less than that of thelargest drawer, and an inlet and an outlet valve communicating betweensaidv chamber and the outer air.

5. In a refrigerator, an ice container in the upper portion thereof, aplurality of drawers in -the lower portion of the refrigerator, saiddrawers superimposed one above the other, each drawer being somewhatshorter in length than the drawer next below so as to leave an uncovereds ace at the rear end of each drawer when t e drawers are pushed fullyinwardly.

6. In a refrigerator, an icecontainer in the upper portion thereof, aplurality of drawers in the lower portion of the refrigerator, saiddrawers superimposed one' above the other, each drawer being somewhatshorter in length than the drawer next below so as to leave an uncoveredspace at the rear end of each drawer when the drawers are pushed fullyinwardly, and a horizontal partition between each drawer and the onenext above, said partition forming a closure for the top of the drawertherebelow with the exception of the aforesaid uncovered space at therear end of the drawer.

7. In a refrigerator, an enclosed ice container supported in spacedrelation from the top thereof, the portion of the refrigerator abovesaid cqntainerforming a chamber, the casing of the refrigerator havingports therethrough at the top of said chamber, automatic inlet andoutlet valves controlling the opening and closing of said ports, 'aplurality of drawers in the lower portion of the refrigerator below saidcontainer, said drawers superim osed one' above the other, each drawering somewhat shorter in length than the drawer next below so as to leavean uncovered space at the rear end of each drawer when the drawersare'pushed fully inwardly, the cubic capacity of the chamber at the topof the refrigerator being not less than that of the largest drawer.

8. In a refrigerator, an enclosed ice container supported in spacedrelation from the top thereof, the portion of the refrigerator abovesaid container forming a chamber, the casing of the refrigerator havofsaid ing ports therethrough at the to chamber, automatic" inlet and outet valves controlling the opening and closing of said ports, a pluralityof 'drawers in the lower portion of the refrigerator below saidcontainer, said drawers superimposed one above the other, each drawerbeing` somewhat shorter in length than the drawer next below so as toleave an uncovered space at the rear end of each drawer 'when thedrawers are pushed fully inwardly, the cubic capacity of the chamber atthe top of the refrigerator being not less than that of the largestdrawer, and a wick below said container positioned to receive all dripfrom the exterior surface thereof, said wick extending outwardly throughthe refrigerator casing.

9. In a refrigerator according to claim 3,

a horizontal partition above the container forming the bottom of thecompartment in 11. In a refrigerator, an enclosed Watertight icecontainerin the form of a cylindrical vessel, a; removable insulatedcover for the open end thereof, therrefrigeratorvcasing having acircular orice adapted to ermit insertion of said container en'dwiseinto the refrigerator, the cover forming a closure for the orifice inthe refrigerator casing, and means for supporting the container Within10 the refrigerator.

12. In a refrigerator, an enclosed Water-A tght ice container in theform of a cylin-l drical vessel, a removable insulated cover for theopen end thereof, the refrigerator casing having a circular orificeadapted to permit insertion of said container endwise into therefrigerator, the cover forming a closure for the orifice in therefrigerator casing, means for supporting the container within therefrigerator, and a Wick below said container positioned to receive alldrip` from the exterior surface of said container and extendn0*outwardly through the refrigerator cas- HENRY'LUCAS ROBERTS.

